Chromebooks, or laptops that run Google's ChromeOS, have been around for over a decade and have evolved from simple tools for accessing the internet to excellent laptops for personal or professional use. Although Chromebooks have an expiration date, after which they stop receiving security and feature updates, their ease of use makes them a good choice for schools, businesses, and people who aren't very tech-savvy.
However, many negative opinions about Chromebooks have circulated over the past 10 years, including the myth that they can't be used offline and that the devices are inferior. Some of these criticisms may have been true when Chromebooks first came out, but have since been corrected or improved.
Here are eight misconceptions about Chromebooks that you should ignore when looking for a new laptop.
1. Chromebooks don't have strong performance
This is a common misconception that dates back to the early days of Chromebooks, when they were primarily used to access the web via the Chrome browser. As more people started using Chromebooks, including for school and work, Google increased the functionality of the operating system and Chromebook manufacturers improved their performance to take advantage of the new features. Now, as with other laptops, with a Chromebook you get what you pay for.
ChromeOS, the operating system for Chromebooks, still maintains low hardware requirements. This means that Chromebooks can offer basic functionality for less money. Despite the low hardware requirements, Chromebooks can provide performance that is equal to or better than similarly priced Windows laptops.
2. You can only use Chrome on Chromebooks
It's understandable, but wrong, to think that Chromebooks, which run ChromeOS, can only use the Chrome browser. You can run other browsers, like Brave and Firefox, on your Chromebook.
To use these browsers, you need to download the apps from the Google Play Store. While these apps are designed for Android phones, they will also work on your Chromebook. Some apps are tablet-friendly, so they look cleaner and take advantage of the extra space on your Chromebook’s screen. Their windows can also be resized like traditional desktop software.
3. Chromebooks are not safe to use
Chromebooks have multiple layers of protection to keep your data safe. For example, you get automatic updates from Google so your device always has the latest security patches. Chromebooks also run websites and apps in isolated environments (sandboxes) to help mitigate threats.
These security features make Chromebooks more secure than many other laptops. According to CVE Details, a data source for security vulnerabilities, ChromeOS has had about 50 security vulnerabilities since 2010. In comparison, Windows 10 has had nearly 3,000 vulnerabilities since 2013.
4. Chromebooks don't work without an internet connection
While early models were designed to be used only online, Google changed that a long time ago so that many Chromebook apps work with or without an internet connection. You can use your Chromebook to take notes, watch movies, and listen to music offline. You can even check and reply to emails or view, edit, or create documents in Google Drive. In these cases, any emails you send or changes you make to documents won't be completed until you're back online.
5. You can't play games on Chromebooks
Years ago, you could only play web-based games on your Chromebook, but since 2016, you can play many of the games available on the Google Play Store. This includes games like Roblox and Apex Legends Mobile. You can also play games from Steam, Nvidia's GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, and Xbox Cloud Gaming on your Chromebook.
Google is now selling Chromebooks designed for cloud gaming. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE, Asus Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip, and Lenovo Ideapad Gaming Chromebook are the first three gaming Chromebooks that allow anyone to play AAA PC games without a high-end gaming PC via cloud services.
6. Chromebooks are not good for photo or video editing
For basic editing, the Google Play Store has several photo and video editing apps, including Adobe's Android apps and LumaFusion, which are compatible with Chromebooks. Google also unveiled a new video editor and movie maker in Google Photos in July.
If you're a professional and need more advanced photo or video editing capabilities, like Adobe InDesign or Photoshop, you'll still want a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer. However, if you're putting together a family photo album or a video for a family reunion, Chromebooks have everything you need.
7. Chromebooks can't run Microsoft Office
Yes, you can run Microsoft Office on your Chromebook. However, instead of using the software package built for Windows or macOS, you'll be using Microsoft Office's progressive web apps, or PWAs.
PWAs are like mobile versions of websites, but offer more features, such as offline use and push notifications. There are PWAs for Microsoft Office 365 that work great on Chromebooks. Aside from downloading PWAs, using them is the same as using the online versions of Office 365. More experienced Microsoft Office users may find that Office PWAs aren't as powerful as the desktop software, but PWAs will likely meet most people's needs.
Information source: cnet.com
